My road to Chiang Mai from San Diego was grueling yet fabulous. Sitting in a sedentary position for a full day and half really does a number on your back no matter how young or in shape you are in. However, it was a complete adventure. My plane to Thailand was called the Hello Kitty Jet and was meticulously decked out with all things hello kitty, including the toilet paper. I was loving it! Oh and thank god no one was sitting in the middle seat, who knows what kind of condition I would be in if I didn’t have the extra 3 centimeters to stretch my legs out… When I finally arrived to Chiang Mai, the program that I am teaching english through was not there to pick me up. To say that I began having a minor heart attack is a mere understatement. I was freaking out. After several minutes wandering aimlessly around the meet and greet area of the airport, praying that I would somehow bump into the people picking me up, I decided I needed a plan B and fast. Unfortunately, I had not converted any US dollars into Baht yet. However, the pay phones naturally only took Baht. How was I supposed to know how many baht coins it took to make a call on the pay phone? Hell, I didn’t even know how to use a pay phone considering I never have had too thanks to the 21st century and cellphones. With the help of a very nice woman working at the tourist center, I was able to get ahold of my program and they were able to contact the driver picking me up. After an hour and half of thinking I was going to be stranded in the Chiang Mai airport for the rest of my life, I was finally going home!!
Like the title suggests, if Tijuana, Mexico and Kaui, Hawaii got together and had a love child, Chiang Mai, Thailand would be it. The main roads leading from the airpot to the condo I am staying in was filled with trinket markets on the side of the road, crazy drivers with children and adults sitting in the trunk of trucks ( just like Tijuana) and lush green foliage engulfing the city like it was eating it ( just like in Kaui). My fear and anxiety was instantly eased because it reminded me so deeply of two places I have already been too. Once I arrived at the condo, the girl who managed the building drove me to the grocery store. Despite terrifyingly different food products (like sushi flavored chips and god knows what else because I can’t read Thai), the store carried almost every american brand of beauty and toiletry products. I was astonished to say the least. Blame it on the fact that I am embarrassing uncultured or that I have never ventured across the globe, I was pleasantly surprised that they carried the specific american brands I am so accustomed too. Now, tt is Saturday at 6 in the morning here in Chiang Mai, and I can’t wait to see what the day ahead will bring me.
